The general helpful thread, tricks that can help everyone

[abouret]

Couple of weeks ago, I had a problem with a toilet and after hours spending on trying to unblocked it, I asked a couple of friends help before I call a plumber and everyone had a trick. In less half hour later, toilet was back to normal. We all have our own tricks. Things we do that not a lot of people knows but can be helpfull to everyone.

I thought, why not make a thread about it. So, what's yours?

[abouret]

I'll go first. When I do a spaghetti sauce, I add a cup of oats in the sauce. It won't change the taste but if you froze your sauce, when you will use your sauce later, the sauce won't make any water in your plate.

[MrsSunshine]

I'll post a helpful tip shortly, however i need some help with the caulking in our bathtub, its on top of a new tub surround that has certain limitations to what i can use to clean it, how do i get the little bit of mold out of it. i tried bleach. didn't work.

[Lynn49]

Here's my best tip: do NOT throw out those bags inside cereal boxes! They have a preserving agent in them which prevents your cereal from getting "old".....put your washed lettuce, deli meats, bacon (without the original packaging, of course...omg! no icky bacon anymore!), anything at all that can go into your fridge....fruits...will keep eons longer in those cereal bags!!!
You will LOVE me for this!!!

[MortgageQueen]

Keep a spray bottle of vinegar and a spray bottle of hydrogen peroxide under your sink. Clean all your fruit and veggies of any bacteria by spraying with each, then rinse.
Easy, CHEAP, environmentally friendly, and much healthier then store bought sprays.

[DaveP]

Always, always, always have at least a 3 day emergency kit, in case of sudden natural disaster, or manmade disaster. And you should be able to get it and go fast, if your home isn't safe.

[Crochetlady]

Here's my best tip: do NOT throw out those bags inside cereal boxes! They have a preserving agent in them which prevents your cereal from getting "old".....put your washed lettuce, deli meats, bacon (without the original packaging, of course...omg! no icky bacon anymore!), anything at all that can go into your fridge....fruits...will keep eons longer in those cereal bags!!!
You will LOVE me for this!!!

Do bread bags have that too? DH put some lettuce in one and it stayed fresh way longer than usual.

[Lynn49]

I wouldn't doubt it, Crochetlady...however, living with a chemist, lol, he said that specifically the cereal bags have a preservative in them...BHA and/or BHT...we're all well aware, I think, of how BHA is being phased out of baby bottles,and anything else that holds foods, but it's still in those cereal bags. I can understand not subjecting infants to them, but I'm not convinced that their toxic to us in the small amounts we might injest.

Some people are scared of those perservatives, but I feel that for the small amount of cereal I consume, I'm safe with the low levels in their bags and even using them for deli meats, etc, really......I'm not terrible concerned at my age.....I could use all the preservatives I can GET these days!!

Frankly....I wonder what's in those over-priced "green bags" that everyone (except moi) was purchasing to keep foods fresher longer have in them as preservatives! I don't hear much of anything about them on tv now, touting their attributes...so I wonder if the cat's out of the...ahem...bag, and that they used the same preservatives that cereal bags give you for free!

[beckyrobinson1]

Question: can anyone find an email address for old Dutch foods? I have a complaint about Humpty Dumpty cheese sticks, and I can't get into the website to find the email address !

[Lynn49]

http://www.olddutchfoods.com/about-us/contact-us

...there is a "submit an inquiry" that you can click on...hth!

[Darth Penguin]

Here's my best tip: do NOT throw out those bags inside cereal boxes! They have a preserving agent in them which prevents your cereal from getting "old".....put your washed lettuce, deli meats, bacon (without the original packaging, of course...omg! no icky bacon anymore!), anything at all that can go into your fridge....fruits...will keep eons longer in those cereal bags!!!
You will LOVE me for this!!!

bacon lasts long enough to go off?????

[oscarandme]

Whenever you loose something always ask I forget which one so I cover both names: St-Pierre & St-Antoine and ask them to help you find whatever and you have to believe they are listening. Try it and you wil see. Always works for me and I am not a religious fanatic. I need both of them even though just one of them is supposed to be asked because I have been with DH for 13 years and I know that I have asked for their help atleast 3 times a week since we met. They are on call for me because they know I need back-up. But it will work for you to just Say it out loud and focus and whenever you need help say:

Example: St-Pierrre, St-Antoine please help me find my keys (or in my case) my husbands keys. and of course o not forget to thank them.

You will always have help. It's true. BELIEVE. You will giggle, feel stupid and roll your eyes the first couple of times but when you start finding what you are looking for oh boy - a seriousness comes over you knowing that this is your lifeline and the helper that will help you achieve this. You'll see. That's my tip for now. You do not have to be religious (just wanted to point that out).

[MortgageQueen]

Want to prevent Wasps/hornets from nesting around your house? Blow up a brown paper bag (or stuff it with something? and stick it to the likely spots hornets would nest.
It tricks them into thinking there's already a hive there. . .and they'll move on.

[Eddie12]

Cool trick! Does it also work if the hornets already have an nest or if they are making one?

[Giving-Small]

In my experience best before - they're territorial. Also Home Hardware and $$ store sell these for about $2 pr spand have grey wasp nest shaped ones.

Cool trick! Does it also work if the hornets already have an nest or if they are making one?